The mission of the core is to provide analytical services and to develop new assays and technology to support CNRU investigators to develop an understanding of nutrient absorption, metabolism, and turnover. The Mass Spectrometry Core furnishes instruments and technologies that would not normally be available to most independent investigators and is, in fact, essential to the success of these investigators. The core is also developing diagnostic tools to predict disease and to monitor progress of disease and treatment. In addition, we provide comprehensive instruction for interested CNRU investigators in order to increase their proficiency in our highly complex technologies and instrumentation. The range of instrumentation available to CNRU investigators through the Core has significantly expanded during the last year and now includes GC-MS, isotope ratio MS, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS, LCMS/iontrap (with all components required for proteomics research), time-of-flight mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis equipment and software, preparative HPLC with MS-guided automatic autosampler, 2 NMR spectrometers for biochemical profiling of cell and tissue metabolism (metabolomics) and animal MRI.